Ultrasonic hair treatment device

ABSTRACT

An ultrasonic hair treatment device is provided to apply ultrasonic vibrations to a user&#39;s hair for enhancing the penetration of a hair treatment composition into the hair. An ultrasonic vibration element is held on a support to which a clamp member is pivotally connected, so as to give the ultrasonic vibration to the hair clamped between the support and the clamp member. The ultrasonic vibration element is configured to have a rectangular vibration face and to have a plurality of resonant points arranged in a lattice pattern on the rectangular vibration face. Thus, the ultrasonic vibrations of maximum amplitude developed at the plural resonance points can be applied to the hair over the entire rectangular vibration face, thereby applying the uniform ultrasonic vibration effect to the hairs for expediting the penetration of a hair treatment composition into the hairs.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic hair treatment device, and more particularly to a hair treatment device adapted in use for penetrating a hair treatment composition into user' hairs by the effect of the ultrasonic vibrations.

BACKGROUND ART

Ultrasonic hair treatment devices designed to penetrate the hair treatment composition are already disclosed in the art, for example Japanese Patent Publication No. 9 262120 and No. 2001-37526. The device of No. 9-262120 has a barrel which is configured to wound the hairs therearound and is coupled to an ultrasonic vibration element to transmit the ultrasonic vibrations to the hairs, thereby exciting the hair treatment composition and the hairs to expedite the penetration of the composition. The ultrasonic vibration element is a piezoelectric thickness drive transducer in the form of a disc coupled to one end of the barrel so as give the maximum vibrations to the lengthwise center of the barrel. Thus, the hairs wound around the lengthwise ends of the barrel could enjoy only little or no ultrasonic effect. Such non-uniform vibration along the length of the barrel is inevitable by the use of the piezoelectric transducer having one resonance point at its center of the disc.

The device of No. 2001-37526 proposes the use of rectangular vibration plate for clamping the hair with a complementary clamp member in order to straighten the hairs with the ultrasonic vibration effect in combination with the hair treatment composition. The vibration plate is mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric element to vibrate in the thickness direction. Also in this device, the vibration plate suffers from non-uniform vibration over the rectangular face when using the piezoelectric thickness drive transducer having a single resonance point. That is, the rectangular vibration plate fails to transmit the vibration uniformly and effectively to all the strands of the hairs in contact with the rectangular vibration plate. Therefore, a solution has been waited to give uniform vibration to the hairs clamped in the device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The above solution is achieved in the present invention which provides an ultrasonic hair treatment device capable of giving uniform ultrasonic vibration effect over the hairs clamped in the device. The device in accordance with the present invention has a support configured to carry an ultrasonic vibration element, and a clamp member configured to clamp hairs between the clamp member and the support for applying ultrasonic vibrations from the ultrasonic vibration element to the hairs. The ultrasonic vibration element is configured to have a rectangular vibration face and to have a plurality of resonant points arranged in a lattice pattern on the rectangular vibration face. Accordingly, the ultrasonic vibrations of maximum amplitude developed at the plural resonance points can be applied to the strands of the hairs over the entire rectangular vibration face of the ultrasonic vibration element, thereby applying the uniform ultrasonic vibration effect to the hairs for expediting the penetration of a hair treatment composition into the hairs and therefore finishing the hair treatment within a short time.

In order to maximize the above effect, the ultrasonic vibration element is configured to come into direct contact at its rectangular vibration face with the hairs clamped between the clamp member and the support member.

Preferably, the support is elongated to have a longitudinal axis and is pivotally connected at one longitudinal end to said clamp. The ultrasonic vibration element is mounted on the support to have its lengthwise axis inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the support. With this arrangement, the strands of the hair running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support or the clamp member are given increased chances of encountering the resonance points and therefore can enjoy the ultrasonic vibration effect over the width of the clamped hairs strands.

In a preferred embodiment, the support is configured to carry at least one the ultrasonic vibration element, while the clamp member is configured to carry at least one auxiliary vibration element. The ultrasonic vibration element and the auxiliary vibration element are arranged along a direction crossing with the longitudinal axis. Thus, the ultrasonic vibrations can be applied from both sides of the support and the clamp member, and over a wide width of the clamped hairs for improving and facilitating the hair treatment.

In this embodiment, a controller is provided to oscillate the ultrasonic vibration element and the auxiliary ultrasonic vibration element alternately with each other in order to enhance the ultrasonic vibration yet in a power saving manner.

It is also preferred that one of the support and the clamp member is configured to have bumps spaced in a lengthwise direction, while the other of the support and the clam member is configured to have recesses which fit with the bumps respectively when the clamp member is closed on the support. With the provision of the bumps and the recesses, the clamped hair can be confined between the lengthwise ends of the device and can be guided smoothly therebetween while the device is manipulated to move along the length of the hair strands, which makes it easy to give the ultrasonic vibration effect over the length of the hair strands.

Further, it is preferred that a plurality of the ultrasonic vibration elements are stacked with each other on the support to enhance the ultrasonic vibration effect or power.

These and still other advantageous features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the use of an ultrasonic hair treatment device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the above device;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the above device shown with bristles being removed;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an ultrasonic vibration element and a complementary seat between which the hair is clamped;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the ultrasonic vibration element shown in relation with the clamped hair strands in accordance with a modification of the above embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an ultrasonic hair treatment device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating a driving signal for actuating the ultrasonic vibration element in the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a support member in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the above support;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a clamp member used in combination with the above support; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a support member in accordance with a modification of the above embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown an ultrasonic hair treatment device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The device D is used in combination with a hair treatment composition so as to vibrate the composition as well as the hair strands for expediting to penetrate the composition into the hair, and therefore finishing the hair treatment within a short time. The device is composed of an elongated support 10 carrying an ultrasonic vibration element 20, and an elongated clamp member 30 carrying a seat 40 at a portion opposed to the element 20. The clamp member 30 is pivotally coupled at its one lengthwise end to one lengthwise end of the support 10 by a hinge 50 so that the support 10 is movable between a clamp position of closing the ultrasonic vibration element 20 on the seat 40 for clamping the hair strands therebetween and an open position of releasing the hair strands from the element 20.

The ultrasonic vibration element 20 is mounted on a base 60 which is made of aluminum and is fixed to the support 10 so that the vibration element 20 comes into direct contact with the hair strands clamped between the element 20 and the seat 40. A plurality of bristles 70 are arranged on both longitudinal sides of the element 20 on the support 10 and on both longitudinal sides of the seat 40 on the clamp member 30 in order to comb the hair strands while moving the device along the length of the hair strands.

The ultrasonic vibration element 20 is realized by a vertical effect piezoelectric transducer operating in the thickness mode which is shaped to have a rectangular vibration face 22 and is configured to have a plurality of resonance points 24 arranged in a lattice pattern on the vibration face 22, as shown in FIG. 4. The element 20 is connected to receive a drive current and is caused to expand and contract in directions x and y in a plane perpendicular to the thickness (z) of the element 20. The deformations in x- and y-directions interfere with each other to develop vibrations in the thickness direction (z), while forming a plurality of resonance points 24 in the lattice pattern where the maximum amplitude is given. The element 20 or the piezoelectric transducer is supplied with an electric power and is controlled by a controller 100 to produce vibrations of 500 kHz to 10 MHz frequency at a power of 0.1 to 5 W/cm². Therefore, the clamped hairs can receive relatively uniform ultrasonic vibration of maximum amplitude over the entire face of the element 20 to enhance the penetration of the hair treatment composition into the clamped hairs.

The seat 40, which is shaped in match with the element 20, is made of hard material for enhancing the hair shaping effect, and may be alternatively made of soft material for further enhancing the penetration effect of the hair treatment composition. Although the illustrated embodiment shows that the element 20 and the complementary seat 40 are finished to have a flat mating surface for the purpose of straightening the hairs, they may be shaped respectively into curved surfaces for curling the hairs.

FIG. 5 shows another ultrasonic hair treatment device in accordance with a modification of the above embodiment which is identical to the above embodiment except that the rectangular element 20 or the piezoelectric transducer is disposed to have its lengthwise axis inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support 10. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals in the above embodiment. In this modification, the resonance points 24 are arranged in a row correspondingly inclined with respect to the length of the hair strands H such that the hair strands running perpendicular to the length of the support 10 are given increased chances of encountering the resonance points 24 while the device D is moved along the length of the hair strands, thereby enjoy the ultrasonic vibration effect over the width of the hair strands.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a further ultrasonic hair treatment device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment except that more than one ultrasonic vibration elements 20 and 20A are arranged in a lateral direction perpendicular to the length of the support 10 or the clamp member 30. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals. In this embodiment, the support 10 carries the element 20, while the clamp member 30 is also configured to carry an auxiliary ultrasonic element 20A which are staggered with the element 20 with respect to the lateral direction and are opposed to auxiliary seat 40A and the seat 40 respectively secured to the clamp member 30 and the support 10. Also in this embodiment, the elements 20 and the auxiliary element 20A are covered respectively by base 60 and auxiliary base 60A made of aluminum which transmits the ultrasonic vibrations in the thickness direction from the elements 20 and 20A to the clamed hair strands as in the previous embodiment. With this configuration, the ultrasonic vibrations can be applied to the hair strands over a long range at one time, for facilitating to finish the hair treatment within a short time. In this embodiment, the elements 20 and 20A may be arranged to have its lengthwise axis inclined with respect tot the length of the support or the clamp member as in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

The elements 20 and 20A are controlled by a controller 100 to become active alternately with each other. For this purpose, the controller 100 is configured to control individual drivers 110 and 110A to give alternating drive pulses P1 and P2, as shown in FIG. 7. The high-output period of the drive pulses is set to be longer or equal to low-output period of the drive pulse.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a third embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the above embodiment except that base 60 backed up with the ultrasonic vibration element is formed on opposite longitudinal ends with bumps 62 which fit into corresponding recesses 42 formed in the seat 40 of the clamp member 30 when the clamp member 30 is closed on the support 10. The set of the bumps 62 are formed on both lateral sides of the base 60, as shown in FIG. 8, to confine the hair strands between the lengthwise spaced bumps 62 in order to keep the hair strands H in the range of receiving the ultrasonic vibrations, i.e., avoid the hair strands from shifting away from the ultrasonic vibration element. The bumps and recesses may be formed respectively in the seat and the base.

As shown in FIG. 11, the device of the present invention may be configured to have a stack of the ultrasonic vibration elements 20 of the above characteristic. Although the stacked elements 20 are secured to the back of the base 60 by means of a fastener 64 in the illustrated instance, the stacked elements 20 may be provided on top of the base 20 for direct contact with the hair strands. 

1. An ultrasonic hair treatment device comprising: a support configured to carry an ultrasonic vibration element; a clamp member configured to clamp hairs between the clamp member and the support for applying ultrasonic vibrations from said ultrasonic vibration element to the hairs; wherein said ultrasonic vibration element is configured to have a rectangular vibration face and to have a plurality of resonant points arranged in a lattice pattern on said rectangular vibration face.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic vibration element is configured to come into direct contact with the hairs clamped between said clamp member and said support.
 3. The ultrasonic hair treatment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support is elongated to have a longitudinal axis and is pivotally connected at one longitudinal end to said clamp member, said ultrasonic vibration element is mounted on said support to have its lengthwise axis inclined relative to said longitudinal axis of said support.
 4. The ultrasonic hair treatment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support is elongated to have a longitudinal axis and is configured to carry at least one said ultrasonic vibration element; said clamp member is configured to carry at least one auxiliary vibration element, said ultrasonic vibration element and said auxiliary vibration element are arranged along a direction crossing with said longitudinal axis.
 5. The ultrasonic hair treatment device as set forth in claim 4, wherein a controller is provided to oscillate said ultrasonic vibration element and said auxiliary ultrasonic vibration element alternately with each other.
 6. The ultrasonic hair treatment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said support and said clamp member is configured to have bumps spaced in a lengthwise direction, while the other of said support and said claim member is configured to have recesses which fit with said bumps respectively when said clamp member is closed on said support.
 7. The ultrasonic hair treatment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said ultrasonic vibration elements are stacked with each other on said support. 